Iron County register., 1887-09-29
PART IV.-CHAPTER ",
THE LONG VOYAGE.

PART IV.-CHAPTER ".
THE LONG VOYAGE.
During the winter, on one of those
bitter nights when no one in Province
town stirred out of doors, the old Lob
| dell house was burned to the ground.
The destruction was complete; only
ashes and the stones of the foundation
remained; there was not even charred
beam or plank. What caused the con-
hagration was never discovered. To
no one was the boss less troublesome
than to the owners of the old house
Secure now in the possession of a mod
crate competence. cherishing the
memory of Captain Willis, and yet
with paramount feelings Of loathing
and disgust for the place, Mrs. Willis
and Mrs. Crawford (for Nellie Willis
had ceased to exist in society as we'll
as in the merchant-service) could
truthfully say, as they did, that they
! were not sorry for the casualty.
The kind reader who has followed
the story so far is notified that the
Lobdeu house hardly exists in tradition
now in Provincetown. Should he go
TO its site in the pleasant New England
summer, he will find it covered with
pretty cottages in the Queen Anne
style, on the piazzas of which women
and children spend the long afternoons
looking out over the bay, from which
the salt breeze comes up refreshingly.
They never dream-and it is certainly
better that they should not know-of
the stirring life-drama, closing with a
tragedy, that was thirty-fve years ago
enacted upon this spot.
As the winter advanced. Henry Craw-
ford did not improve as rapidly as the
physician had predicted, and that con-
scientious professional man urged
trip to the tropics. Mrs. Willis, COM
fortably located with her sister, and
with plans for the future not yet
formed, agreed with the doctor, OBJ
serving that as Helen and Henry had
not as yet thought best to take bridal
trip. perhaps the warning of the doctor
might furnish an excuse to combine
business with pleasure.
This was so near an approach to a
joke, that Mr.. Crawford looked with
surprise upon his staid and widowed
mother-in-law. She smiled quite dis
tinctly at him.
Mrs. Crawford urged the trip. Her
loving heart had taken alarm from the
mere fact of the physicians advice.
WELL" said the young husband,
"we'H go-on one condition-Fm some
what acquainted with those latitudes.
There are places in the southern seas
where l shouldn't like to be found,
just now. I'll go, if 1 can arrange the
trip"
The condition was easily allowed.
1t was late in February when they
left New York by steamer for Charles
ton. Some days later they took a sail
ing vessel from the latter place for New
Orleans
They were full two weeks on the
way. Crawford explained to his bride
how it was that the powerful current
of the Gulf Stream, setting northward
along the coast of Florida. compels
sailing vessels to go more than four
hundred miles eastward, to find
southern passage.
In many hours of the moonlight
nights, as well as of the pleasant days
of the delightful passage, she was on
deck with him, viewing the low-lying
islands, the emerald hue of the water,
and the pure white bottom at the shall
lows. He explained to her the mys-
teries of throwing the lead, and what
the landsman meant by his cries of
ssSix-and a half fiverH At one point
on remote shore of New Providence,
the vessel passed close to the charred
remains of the .'Nellie Willis The
newspapers had been busy with the
facts of the tragic fate of the bark;
Crawford's name had been widely
mentioned; his identity had been dis
covered by the passengers on this yes
sel--and with Helen leaning on his
shoulder. he was compelled to give the
true story of the nlutiny and its results
to those who sat on the after-deck that
moonlight night.
As the vessel approached the coast
of Cuba, he pointed out to her the
range of mountains in the back ground
and the Pan of Matanzas near the sea.
Sailing westward that night, he pointed
out the great revolving, flashing light
of Moro Castle, twenty miles away.
'.It wouldn't be well for me to land
there" he observed. Those Span
iards have long memories. Our course
will now be northwesterly to New Or
leans, where we can pass a pleasant
month. We may be four or five days
yet on the way; it is long voyage"
His arm was around her; her beauti-
full eyes were turned trustfully up to
him.
'1t's not so long, Henry, as the voy-
age you engaged to take with me when
we stood up before the minister. p"
Let our record end here. 1t began
in the Paseo of Havana, in a dread
full exhibition of human hate and
vengeance; it can end no more fifty
than by that best token of human love
"a kiss.
THE END.1